Orioles Should Pursue This Blockbuster Trade Idea to Replace Lost Ace

The Baltimore Orioles have some very movable assets if they want to replace their departed ace.

Michael Brauner | Mar 26, 2025

Mar 13, 2025; Dunedin, Florida, USA; Baltimore Orioles third baseman Coby Mayo (16) doubles against the Toronto Blue Jays in the second inning during spring training at TD Ballpark. / Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images

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Baltimore Orioles

The Baltimore Orioles are about the get started with their 2025 season tomorrow afternoon when they head North to face off against the Toronto Blue Jays in a four-game set.

After what was a turbulent offseason in terms of free agency and the trade market, the Orioles look to be likely in a tougher spot this season than they were at this point a year ago. While Baltimore has acquired some pitching, they have not sufficiently replaced star ace Corbin Burnes.

To make matters worse, the top of the rotation has been knocked by injuries as well and right-hander Grayson Rodriguez is going to be out to begin the year.

Nobody questions the assembly line of young, talented hitters the Orioles have, but it won't mean much if they are asked to get into a shootout every game.

Losing Burnes after a real effort was made is tough, though there is an option out there on the trade market who could potentially even be an upgrade from the 2021 National League Cy Young winner, and they have the ammunition to go get him.

All throughout the winter, Baltimore has been linked heavily to San Diego Padres ace Dylan Cease, and for good reason.

Extremely similar to Burnes in terms of durability and seemingly just starting to hit his stride as well as being more than a year younger, Cease would slot in perfectly at the top of the Orioles starting rotation.

Despite noise for months that Baltimore was interested, nothing wound up materializing.

Perhaps the fact that Cease could be a one-year rental fresh off the sting of losing Burnes in the same situation is a factor here, but if the Orioles feel confident they can keep Cease around for the long haul, there's a trade here which makes sense for both sides.

The team's top prospect - catcher Samuel Basallo - is blocked for the foreseeable future by Adley Rutschman.

Basallo could play first if the team is hellbent on getting him into the lineup, but with Ryan Mountcastle also under team control for the next two years, the reality is there is just not room for everyone.

Coby Mayo - Baltimore's No. 2 prospect - has been the subject of negative headlines over the last week after he was assigned back to Triple-A and furiously told the media that he was in a "lose-lose" scenario going back to Norfolk.

Many have suggested the Orioles should have been looking into trading Mayo anyway, and this situation - plus the allure of Cease - puts Baltimore in a spot where it may make sense to deal him.

Paying a price of two top-15 prospects across all of baseball seems a bit steep on the surface and isn't worth it in a rental situation, but the Orioles championship window is open now and is set to potentially be held back by pitching.

If Baltimore is willing to get aggressive both in a trade and in being willing to offer a huge extension to Cease, this is something they should absolutely investigate.

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